Don't Stand So Close To Me
by cristina1
Summary: A Serena and Darien First Season romance
1. Default Chapter Title

Hi everyone, you may have read the story,  
Aren't I Good Enough, by Trixi or otrixi15,  
this is the same person. I re-read the story,  
Aren't I good enough, again and I thought it  
was horrible. I was annoyed that I even wrote   
it at all. There were so many things that I   
wanted to do with this story that I didn't in  
the first version. So here is a very different  
version with a few parts that are the same,   
about a third down the story becomes completely  
different  
Sailor moon does not belong to me.  
The lyrics from the song, Don't stand so close  
to me, don't belong to me they belong to The   
Police. You should play that song while you   
read, but only play the 86' version. And   
everyone if you get a chance please listen  
to The Polices' The Classics, they are awesome!!!  
-Cristina-  
-------------------------------------  
  
Don't stand So Close To Me by Cristina  
  
As Serena sleepily awoke that Saturday  
morning the first thing that popped into   
her mind was as always: Darien. She really  
did try to ignore it but most of the time  
the harder she tried not to think of him   
the more she ended up doing so. She was   
beginning to think she should just lose   
the battle and fully admit how deep her  
feelings went for him. One problem though,  
Serena could be pretty stubborn at times.   
'Darien' her mind screamed. She smiled,  
well actually giggled. she honestly didn't  
know why she liked him but she did. She   
couldn't deny that tight feeling she got   
in her stomach every time he was around.  
He made her feel like, well just jumping  
around like a mad woman. He pushed all   
her buttons and she liked it.  
Darien looked like a lost soul she  
wanted to save, so mysterious. He was  
one the most beautiful people she'd ever  
met. Just thinking about his coal black  
hair and dark blue eyes and his smoky   
voice sent shivers up Serena's spine.   
'I just want to connect with him.  
I want to know him. I know this isn't  
a stupid crush. I know this is something   
real. One of my friends once told me that  
you know, when someone amazes you in every  
way, that if he isn't the one well, he's  
pretty damn close,' Serena thought   
sitting on the edge of her bed.  
'But who am I kidding it doesn't  
matter if he is the one, get real girl,  
I'm just a klutzy, whiny teenager to   
him, as he so kindly puts it. He probably  
has beautiful women hanging all over him'.  
She could tell though that he wasn't a   
shallow person, which made her feel only  
worse  
'Great, he probably has the most   
perfect women, kind, smart and beautiful,  
everything I'm not.'   
'Oh just shut up in there   
won't you! I have good qualities. I 'm  
not going to let him give me some sort  
of complex or tear apart my self esteem,'  
Serena thought determined. 'I don't like  
him, I barely know him. Enough with the   
silliness about Darien, girl, you know he's  
Satan.' And the internal battle within   
her mind continued.  
'Yeah right keep telling yourself that'  
her mind replied.  
"Ughhhh!!!" she moaned out loud  
Still she thought about him and she   
even smiled at the thought of bumping into  
him, at least she could see him, even if   
they were fighting. After Serena got ready  
and had her extensive lunch she called up  
her friends and made plans to meet them   
at the park to spend the afternoon with them.   
-------------------------------------  
'Finally out of this house' thought   
Serena happily as she made her way to the   
park. She was so busy thinking about her   
plans that she didn't notice one of the   
tiles on the sidewalk was slightly higher   
than the others. And a second later she   
was on her butt. Serena heard men whistling   
at her but she was to disoriented to realize  
that her already short skirt was all the  
way up her thighs exposing every inch of  
her long youthful legs. Then she felt some  
one bump into her from behind and she heard  
that familiar smoky voice:  
"What is this Meatball head, the  
millionth time you've tripped," Darien   
said with laughter in his voice as he came  
around to stand in front of her.   
"Oh shut up Satan, we all can't be   
as smooth and sophisticated as you," said  
Serena sarcastically still  
on the ground.   
"Big words Meatball..." then he stopped  
in mid-sentence as he heard a bunch of boys  
whistle and leer at the sight Serena made.   
Darien looked down at her legs blushed then   
scowled. Serena noticed that Darien was making   
a funny face and that his dark blue eyes   
had gone almost black, then she followed  
where his eyes where staring and she blushed   
also.  
'Just great' she thought 'he gets a  
perfect view of my scrawny legs and my  
stupid 'Saturday' underwear.' Could this  
day have started worse? What is the deal!?  
Am I destined to make fool of myself in   
front of him practically every day.  
"Get up Meatball Head, you're blocking  
the sidewalk," Darien said in a gruff   
almost angry voice, which Serena took as  
disgust for having to bump into to her  
"No Satan, It's my dream for every  
one to stare sitting here on my butt,"   
retorted Serena angrily as she got up.   
"Have a nice day Meatball head and  
don't eat to much concrete," Darien said   
in a voice that sounded almost relieved   
as he walked away.   
"Yeah same to you, Satan," Serena   
muttered angrily and got up off the sidewalk  
'Why are my feelings always so hot  
and cold towards him, and why does he have  
to be so incredibly magnetic? There are so  
many awesome guys out there that are nice  
and kind, yet I'm attracted to aloof, dark,  
distant, Darien. I even feel happy now that   
I've talked to him, I'm insane!!!' thought   
Serena as she made her way to the park to   
meet her friends.  
"Hey girl over here!" yelled Lita.   
"Hi guys," said Serena happily as she  
turned around and ran over to her friends.  
"So what do you guys wanna do?" asked  
Mina.   
"How about we go see the new movie Matt  
Damon is in," suggested Raye.  
"Matt Damon," they all sighed and went  
to the movies.   
-------------------------------------  
  
The next day Serena went to Raye's house.  
She loved Raye even though she was almost as  
bad as Darien. Raye's strength determination  
attracted Serena to her. Maybe it was because  
she was things Serena wasn't. When she really  
got to talk to Raye she found that Raye was   
one of the most interesting people she had ever  
met. She had learned so much from her. Well   
most of the time.  
"Hey Meatball head, you're doing pretty  
well today, I haven't seen you trip once,"   
Darien remarked smiling catching Serena off   
guard from her reverie.   
Even though that heart stopping smile  
of his was doing wicked things to her insides   
she still had the presence of mind to think   
of something wicked she could do to him. So  
smiling sweetly she replied:   
"Hello Darien, yeah I am doing pretty  
well, how about you, how are you doing today?"  
He was so stunned with her words,   
instead of her ordinary biting remark, that   
he didn't notice that she had stuck her foot  
out.  
The next thing he knew he was on the   
ground and Serena was laughing hysterically.  
Darien looked up at her angrily and she   
laughed even more.  
"Oh this is classic I wish I had my   
camera," she replied still laughing.   
"Ha, ha, Meatball head," said Darien  
sarcastically then with a wicked smile he  
was up, he got right in her face and said:  
"I'll get you back, Just wait till   
tomorrow," and he walked away.  
She was happy she didn't have to say  
anything back to him because she had been   
incapable of speech those few moments. She  
felt like she was drowning in his eyes when  
he had come up close to her.  
'What can I ever do to get through to  
him' she thought. 'Serena stop it, why would  
he ever like a dumb girl like me, ahh there  
I go again. Darien is jerk!' After she had  
gathered her wits she went off to the temple,  
by this time she was just dying to see Raye   
to get her mind off of Darien.  
-------------------------------------  
"Hi Raye," yelled Serena, happy to   
see her friend as she was running up the   
temple steps.   
"Hey meatball head," called Raye.   
"Not you too!!" Serena whined.  
Serena had come over to help Raye do  
chores since she didn't have parents or   
anyone else for that matter to help. Serena  
and Raye made idle chit chat about their   
week and such, but after a while Raye inquired:  
"What's up with you lately Meatball   
Head you look as if you realized something   
of great importance?" Raye said in a   
semi-sarcastic voice.  
"Gee pyro you really make a girl want  
to spill her guts out to you," Serena  
deadpanned but after a second she replied:  
"It's Darien's' teasing."  
"That's nothing new," said Raye  
puzzled, "you hate him right? So then   
just ignore it."  
"Well I don't exactly hate him...,"  
'why I'm telling her this, I don't know,  
she will never let me live it down!'  
"Oh my goodness! You like him   
don't you?" then with a wicked smile   
Raye started chanting:   
"Serena loves Darien, Serena   
loves Darien" over and over again. Raye  
was acting totally unlike herself but  
when her and Serena were together they  
were pretty hyper.  
After a while Raye noticed Serena  
wasn't saying anything and she looked   
unusually sad. Normally Serena would be   
yelling at her by now so naturally Raye   
was worried.  
"What's wrong?" asked Raye concerned.  
"Well I like him so much but he   
doesn't reciprocate my feelings..."  
"You know what reciprocate means,"   
Raye said mockingly  
"You know what I don't need this   
from you, I'm outta here," Serena responded  
hurt and angry. She got up briskly and   
started walking away  
"Wait Serena, wait, I'm sorry, that  
was totally out of line," Raye yelled   
as she caught up with Serena grabbed her   
wrist and spun her around, "I'm really   
sorry," Raye said again.  
"I guess I forgive you 'baka',"   
replied Serena reluctantly.   
"Thank-you, please continue about   
Darien I really want to know what's bugging  
you," said Raye apologetically.  
"Well, to him I'm just some annoying  
stupid teenager, I could never be what he  
wants," she finished sadly barely above a  
whisper.   
"Rena don't say that, you are a   
wonderful person, caring, kind and sweet,  
and I'll beat anyone up who says   
otherwise," Raye finished.  
"Leave it to Jupiter," Serena joked.   
"Yeah really," Raye chuckled, "and   
any way you are a cool chick, I know tons  
of guys who would kill to date you."  
"Yeah right Raye, but you're a good  
liar," replied Serena with a melancholy   
smile.  
"I know," Raye said with a smug grin,  
Serena of course whacked her.  
"Hey," yelled Raye, after that you   
could hear those two screaming all the way  
to china  
-------------------------------------  
  
Monday after School Serena was walking  
home looking at her test grade.   
'A seventy' she thought 'better but   
still not good, I need to do better. I'm   
sick of people not taking me seriously, well  
mostly Darien,' angrily she crumpled up the   
paper and threw it behind her.  
"Hey Meatball Head watch where you   
throw things I'm not a dumpsite you know,"   
said Darien in that mocking tone of his.  
"Could have fooled me," retorted  
Serena.  
"You're getting better Meatball head,  
you might actually hurt my feelings one day,"  
Darien said laughingly and caught up to her,  
"lets see here you got a seventy on your  
paper, at least you didn't fail," Serena  
whirled around angrily at that,   
"What exactly is your problem Satan,  
lay off for once, and my name is SERENA!!!!"  
She yelled at him.  
"Me I don't have any problems I don't   
trip on my face or get bad grades," Darien   
replied smugly.  
"Well at least I rather have those   
traits than have the worst personality ever!"   
she responded.  
"Many people would think otherwise   
Meatball head. That is all a matter of your  
opinion," he replied with conceit.  
"Ughhh!!!" Serena groaned and stormed  
off, she seemed to be doing a lot of that  
lately, she thought. Normally these little  
spats made her feel better, but as her   
feelings for him increased she just wasn't  
satisfied with them anymore.   
'Why do I let him get to me?'  
'You know why, there is some truth to   
what he said' her mind replied.  
"Shut up shut up shut up," she yelled  
out loud to no one but her self  
-------------------------------------  
  
'Well this day wasn't so bad, the  
look on Serena's face, amusing as usual.  
As Darien was going through his apartment  
he noticed there was a box at the door.  
It was unmarked, he brought it to the   
table and opened it up. The box was filled  
with pictures of his parents and some of   
him as a baby. Darien had never seen pictures   
of his parents but he could remember their   
faces vaguely, they had died when he was   
young. Feelings of loneliness flooded  
back to him, days at the orphanage,   
suffering, the taunting remarks of the   
children there, having to take many   
jobs at a time so he could make his way.  
Tears threatened to spill over but he   
clamped them down. He never cried and he  
wasn't about to, but staying in the   
apartment wasn't helping any. He got   
his jacket and headed to the park to   
think.  
-------------------------------------  
  
"Bye mom I'm going out for a walk,"  
called Serena.  
"Okay but be back before eleven,"   
yelled down her mother.  
"Ma it's only six, I'll probably   
be back way before then," and Serena was  
out the door.   
'Wow it's beautiful out today,   
maybe I'll see Darien,' thought Serena  
hopefully.   
'Stop getting your hopes up you  
probably won't' her mind said annoyed,   
'Serena can you stop thinking about him  
for at least five minutes?'  
'No' she thought grumpily.   
'No wonder I can't even pass a  
test my brain doesn't even know how to  
pick the right guys for me.'  
Then, she saw a tall figure moving  
out in the back of the park, she should   
have known it would be….  
'It's Darien, I want to go up to him,  
but what will I say, oh hi I want to spend   
my life locked in a dark closet with you.  
That will go over well. Maybe I can yell  
at him for earlier today, at least it's  
something to say,' thought Serena.   
  
She wants him so badly  
Knows what she wants to be  
Inside her there's longing  
This girls an open page  
- Don't Stand So Close to Me, The Police-  
  
Serena walked over to him quietly   
and was about to yell at him when she saw  
the look of raw pain on his face.   
"Darien?" said Serena uncertainly.  
"What Serena," Darien replied in  
a strained voice.   
"What's wrong, is there anything   
I can do to help?," Said Serena quietly.  
"You can go away," Darien said gruffly.  
He was on the verge of tears and he didn't  
want Serena to see them. Serena inhaled  
sharply and was about to turn away but   
then she stopped. She couldn't bear to   
see him in pain. Out of raw courage she   
wrapped her arms around Darien and whispered:  
"I won't let you go through this alone."   
"Let go of me," Darien said in a stone   
cold voice.  
"No I don't leave people who are  
hurting to suffer on their own," replied  
Serena quietly.  
"I don't want your pity," he said  
gruffly.   
"Darien I don't pity you at all,   
your one of the most assured people I  
know," replied Serena.  
"Then you don't know me very well,  
let go of me," his voice almost breaking  
now.  
"No," said Serena firmly and buried  
her head in his chest.  
Darien certainly admired her courage,  
for he could be quite formidable when he  
was upset. He almost smiled at her display  
of kindness, that was so like her but those  
memories kept flooding back to him. His  
need for human contact was so intense   
that he couldn't stand it anymore and he   
returned Serena's embrace fiercely.  
"It's okay Darien I'm here for you.  
You don't have to tell me what's wrong,   
just know that I'm here if you want to talk  
about it," said Serena calmly.   
"I don't know where to begin," Darien  
said in an uncertain quiet voice.  
"Just say whatever comes to you,   
I'm not grading you here," said Serena with  
a sad smile.  
He told her about his parent's death,  
being at the brutal orphanage, the numerous  
straining jobs, and most of all the utter   
loneliness of his life. By this time tears  
where coming out of Darien's eyes, he cried  
silently into Serena's hair. He held on to  
her tightly wanting to her happiness and   
joy of life to seep into his body.  
For one of the few times in his life   
he felt secure and cared for, it was a little  
scary for him to be sharing this with anyone  
let alone Serena. He stayed in that position  
for a while and somewhere along the way he  
crossed the line between wanting comfort   
and yearning for Serena. Her skin was so   
soft and warm and her sweet scent surrounded  
him. An intense mad urge swept through   
him and he was powerless to stop it. He tried  
to deny the powerful attraction he felt for  
Serena but it was near impossible.  
Darien shifted so his head was near   
Serena's neck. He was breathing harshly in   
her ear and he heard Serena gasp. 'Had she   
noticed?, did she feel like he did at the   
moment?' 'Only one way to find out' he thought  
distantly and his aching lips encountered   
her warm neck. "Darien" he heard her whimper  
and it made him want her all the more. As   
he kissed his way up her neck he could feel  
the breath storming through Serena's body.  
He soon found her lips, and they were soft  
and sweet just as he had imagined. After   
a moment he couldn't take it, he needed more  
and he crushed her to his body. He was  
kissing her with a near desperate force,   
plunging his tongue into her sweet young   
mouth. He ran his hands all over her sensuous  
little body, she was driving him insane.   
'She always seems to drive me insane one way  
or the other,' he thought, almost amused   
but too caught up in the moment to notice.   
He could hear himself groaning with need,   
he wanted to possess her, he wanted to control  
her, he wanted to...   
"NO!!!" His mind screamed "You can't do  
this, this is Meatball head we are talking   
about here, are you crazy!!" But his body   
didn't give a damn that it was Meatball head.   
Finally he gathered enough will power,  
and forced her away from him.  
"This shouldn't have happened,"   
he replied gruffly.   
Serena was incredibly hurt, she had  
been in heaven. She just stood there frozen  
and shaken.  
"I have to go," Darien replied and  
practically ran away.  
-------------------------------------  



	2. Default Chapter Title

  
The next day after school Serena   
stopped in the arcade. She was trying   
to find Darien.  
"Hi Serena," called Andrew.  
"Hey," said Serena a bit gruffly.  
Andrew gave her a strange look and was  
about to comment. When Darien said:  
"Hey Andrew, oh Meatball Head,  
I didn't notice you coming in usually   
I hear a loud crash and whining loud   
enough to make anyone go deaf."   
"I'm…I'm sure… Satan," replied   
Serena darkly, masking her complete   
surprise at his cold remark as she   
walked up to the counter.  
"Oh I'm so hurt," Darien said   
in a colder voice than usual.  
"I'm sure you are," retorted  
Serena.  
"Meatball head, strikes again   
I really want to hear what witty comment  
you will come up with next"  
"Darien?" Andrew asks confused, he   
was being meaner than usual, had he   
missed something? A big bad fight   
perhaps? But Serena quickly interjected  
smugly:  
"I know you do, Satan." She had  
no clue where she was going with this,  
but she was extremely hurt, she had   
at least hoped they had formed some sort  
of truce albeit a strange and uncomfortable  
one.  
"Don't you know by now that a silly  
little child like you could never affect  
me?" and then Darien took his last sip   
of coffee and walked out the door.  
'How does he do it, how can he act   
like nothing happened, how can he be so   
heartless?' 'What were you expecting from  
him anyway, he never had feelings for you  
in the first place, your just a Meatball   
head to him.' Serena was so wrapped up in   
thinking about Darien that she didn't notice  
the tears welling up in her eyes or that  
Andrew had come up to her.  
"Serena do you want to talk about it?"  
She gasped, startled out of her thoughts  
to look up at him.  
"What are you talking about?" she   
feigned indifference unconvincingly.  
"Come on Serena that wasn't a normal  
good natured spat you two just had," a   
little sob escaped Serena and she looked away.  
"Man I really love Darien but he was  
being a major asshole, Serena if I could   
have I would have said something had he not  
left so suddenly, you are like a sister to  
me you know," Serena nodded tears streaming  
down her face.  
"Oh come here girl," and Andrew pulled   
her into his embrace and then led her into   
the break room.  
"Serena what's going on did you guys   
have a fight?" Serena just stared at the floor  
"Serena?" he questioned.  
"I went to the park… he looked so sad… I   
went up to him... and I tried to help him and  
he told all this stuff about the   
orphanage... he suffered so much. Oh I'm so  
confused, I like him so much, and then we  
were kissing and oh…," cried Serena brokenly.  
"Whoa, whoa you guys were kissing!!!!?  
And you like him?!" Andrew exclaimed, what  
was going on?  
"I don't know I was holding him and he  
was crying and then he just started kissing  
me and then he just left me there," Serena  
replied still extremely upset.  
"He was crying?!, and then he initiated  
a kiss with you?" asked Andrew incredulously.  
"I see, it is so hard to believe anyone  
would wan to kiss a dumb ditz like me,   
right?" spat out Serena mockingly.   
"No, no, no, Serena, I did not mean it  
like that. First of all Darien never cries  
and second he never makes the first move with  
a girl. Although he never has too because   
they all throw themselves at him," commented   
Andrew wryly, "what I mean to say is that he  
must feel something for you. Darien doesn't  
just do that in front of any girl."   
"Well he certainly has a way of showing  
his feelings."  
"Serena I know you may not want to hear  
this and if this was anyone else I would say  
forget that loser, but Darien although smart  
in many ways is completely with out a clue in  
other aspects such as love and friendship.   
Hell it took years for him to open up with me.  
It's saying a lot if he told you this much   
about himself in just a matter of a few months.  
You guys could barely stand each other,   
Serena you most definitely have an effect on   
him no matter what he says, that's what I   
think at least," Andrew said with a comforting  
smile.  
"You really think so, has he ever   
mentioned me in a good way or something?"  
asked Serena forlornly.  
"Well he does mention you, a lot  
actually, but not in the way you would   
like to hear. But come to think of it   
you are the only girl he talks about so   
that's saying something. And Serena for   
Darien to lose control like that with you,  
well I just can't believe that he has no   
feelings for you, he's really hard to read,  
and he might even fight you on this, but  
I have a feeling you are going to be the  
one to break him down," said Andrew helpfully.   
"Thanks for you help Andrew," said  
Serena as she got up, gave him another   
hug, and headed for the door not wanting  
to say more or to even hope that what   
Andrew was saying was even remotely true.  
-------------------------------------  
  
Serena found herself walking along the pond   
of the park. She wasn't ready to go home, sit  
in her room, attempt to do homework, and only  
end up thinking about Darien. Though it really  
didn't matter because she was thinking about   
him anyway, 'well at least I don't have to deal  
with Luna or Sammy.'   
'Why did he have to be my first kiss! Why  
did he have to do it so well, why did it have  
to feel like the ground beneath my feet was  
not there? Why did it have to be all that I  
dreamed it to be? Why can't there be some   
sort of injection that could make me forget  
about him? Who are you kidding you would  
never want to forget about that kiss!'   
'I know I know' Serena said back to   
her brain resignedly.  
As she was walking towards the bench  
she saw none other than Darien sitting  
there. 'What is the deal!!! Are we destined  
to see each other a thousand times a day!!  
Usually I don't mind, but come on!'  
"Girl you could always turn around he  
hasn't seen you yet," her mind replied  
"I lost to much of dignity in the arcade  
back there, this boy is going to get a piece  
of my mind."   
As she walked up to the bench Serena  
chanted: "You can do it, you can do it,"  
under her breath and sat down on it.   
  
It's no use   
He sees her  
He Starts to shake he starts to cough  
- Don't Stand So Close to Me, The Police-  
  
She waited for Darien to realize it  
was her. Apparently he was in la la land,  
so she cleared her throat. His face  
swiveled over in surprise.  
"Well, well, well, if it isn't   
the one and only meatball head,"  
"I'm going to get straight to the  
point here Darien, what happened last night?"  
"Nothing of great importance." He   
replied coldly  
"Oh really the impenetrable Darien  
crying and spilling his guts out among   
other things constitutes nothing? Why are  
you acting like this?" she said in a tone  
of voice that was not to be messed with.  
"You know what constitu…" apparently  
he didn't notice.  
"Darien give me a break for once, I   
know a lot more than you think," Serena  
replied heatedly, cutting him off form   
his sarcastic remark  
"Look you just happened to be there,  
that's all, nothing more nothing less," once  
again Darien remarked in that heartless   
way of his.  
"So I could have been any girl, you  
can honestly say that?"  
Silence  
"Darien?" Serena questioned.  
"Y…yes" he almost sounded like he  
stuttered, Serena thought. Silence descended  
once again and Serena thought that maybe if  
she was completely honest with him than   
might actually say what was on his mind.   
Maybe it wouldn't be good but it was better  
than this cold indifference, 'okay girl   
time to bust out the big guns'  
"Oh really?" Serena questioned again  
"Yes really," by this time it seemed as  
though he had gained more composure, what  
exactly did he think she was going to do   
to him?  
"I don't believe you," where Serena   
had gotten this newfound courage she didn't   
know but she was going to go with it, she   
wanted to prove to him that she was more   
than just a flaky girl.  
"What do you want me to do prove it   
to you, that night didn't mean anything,   
there is that what you want to hear," he   
said forcefully.  
"Yes I want to you to prove it to me   
because those words you just spit out mean   
nothing," then all of a sudden Serena   
straddled Darien on the bench  
"Serena what the hell are you  
doing," Darien practically yelled.  
"I'm going to make you prove something   
to me," Serena said a little shaken from   
his anger.  
"Serena get off of me!" This time   
Darien really let the annoyance in   
his voice show. 'Was he getting   
scared?' Serena wondered.  
'Probably not' her mind shot back.  
"So I don't affect you in anyway?   
Well then you won't mind…," Serena lowered   
her mouth to his ear and whispered, "this." And  
she brought her lips down to his neck  
kissing him as tenderly as she could.  
"And this" she whispered in his ear   
again and kissed right underneath it. She  
felt Darien freeze like a statue, and she  
almost lost hope, but something in her   
heart egged her to continue.  
"You were my first kiss you know," she  
continued whispering in his ear "and I   
liked it," again she kissed him tenderly   
on his neck.  
"I don't bite you now, unless you   
want me too," and Serena proceeded to nip his  
ear and suck on it lightly. Then a great  
shuddering breath came out of Darien and she  
knew he felt something.  
'Here goes nothing' she thought shaking  
from fear, and she kissed Darien's lips   
lightly, but he was still like a stone cold  
rock, so she did it again as slowly and as  
tenderly as possible and she pulled back   
slowly so that her lips slid along his and  
then no longer touched them. She did this  
again and again. But still he remained a   
statue. Tears started to well in her eyes,  
she felt humiliated and stupid, she looked   
up into his eyes, which were now closed tightly.  
  
Unexpectedly Darien groaned deep in  
his throat and his arms came up around her.   
He pulled her tightly to him, and this time  
he was the one ravaging her lips. He began  
kissing her like a drowned man, like he   
could not get enough of her. He ran his   
hands over every part of her like he couldn't  
bear it if every inch of her body wasn't   
touching his. But once again he shoved her  
roughly away from him, almost throwing her  
down on the other side of the bench. He  
was gripping her arms so tightly that it   
was actually hurting her.  
"Don't ask for what you don't really   
want," he growled.  
"Darien you're hurting me," Serena   
whimpered.  
Darien looked down at his hands like  
they weren't his, mumbled what sounded   
like a sorry under his breath making the   
apology worthless in her mind as he got   
up to leave. He had taken no more than   
two more steps when Serena called out   
to his back   
"Darien," and he paused for a second  
"Don't walk away from me like   
this," and it looked like he considered  
what she said, but then he kept walking   
"How do you do it Darien, I don't  
understand," this time Serena was yelling  
in anger, she felt cheap and humiliated.  
"Do what," but he knew, he turned  
around and faced her.  
"Stuff your self inside and let   
no one in? All you are is a scared lonely  
little boy. You are lost Darien and you're  
searching for who knows what, but you'll   
never find it because you are heartless   
and cold!," returned Serena furiously.   
"Shut-up!," said Darien getting   
angry himself not wanting to hear her words.  
"Personally I don't know how you do  
it, how do shut people out the way you do,  
how you love nothing and no one but yourself,  
if you continue that way you're going to be  
alone all your life!" Serena continued,  
crying now because she didn't think she   
was getting through to him, because he   
didn't return her feelings.  
"What would a silly girl like you  
know about love?" replied Darien furiously  
and he stalked away  
Serena went as white as death, and  
whispered "I'm sorry Darien, so sorry,"  
  
Oh you're spinning me around  
My feet are off the ground  
I don't know where I stand  
-Sunday, The Cranberries-  
-------------------------------------  



	3. Default Chapter Title

  
The next day was bleak, windy, and   
it rained relentlessly. Darien walked   
into the arcade. Sat down at the counter and  
waited for Andrew to come over. 'He's in a  
horrible mood,' Andrew noticed. After five  
minutes or so Andrew came over with a   
worried look on his face:  
"Have you seen Serena or bumped into  
to her today? Her parents I guess are   
calling everywhere they just called here   
and they said she didn't come home   
yesterday," he stated.  
"What?," replied Darien completely   
shocked, this wasn't what he expected to  
hear.  
Andrew's eyes suddenly narrowed as  
he looked at Darien and said: "This   
doesn't have anything to do with you   
being a major jerk to her recently does   
it?," Andrew said crossly.  
Darien's eyes narrowed also and   
he replied:   
"Since when did you become her   
protector?"  
"Since she's' needed protecting,"  
retorted Andrew darkly.  
"Stay out of this, Andrew," and  
Darien pulled out a five and stormed   
out of the arcade. Andrew watched his  
retreating form. He knew Darien was   
jealous that Serena had come to him,   
though Darien would never admit it.   
He hoped Darien was leaving to go make  
things right. Andrew could tell he   
was more than completely in love with  
that little burst of sunshine, which  
lately had been looking more and more  
like partly to completely cloudy.  
-------------------------------------  
  
I have stood here before inside the pouring   
rain  
With the world turning circles running 'round'  
my brain  
I guess I'm always hoping that you'll end this  
reign  
But it's my destiny to be the king of pain  
-King of Pain, The Police-  
  
Darien stepped into the pouring rain,  
frantic thoughts running through his head.  
'Where is that girl? If anything  
happened to her…, Serena where are you,'  
his mind screamed.  
'You know you are the cause of this'   
his mind said grimly.  
"I know," he said out loud in a   
sigh.  
Darien ran everywhere, he searched   
the park the numerous shops, everywhere.   
He finally came to the bus station, and   
there she was standing in the rain. Her   
hair was dripping and her clothes were   
sticking to her slender body. Her face  
was puffy and red from hours upon hours  
of crying.  
  
Temptation, Frustration  
So bad it makes him cry  
Wet bus stop, she's waiting   
His car is warm and dry  
-Don't Stand So Close to Me, The Police-  
  
Darien ran up to her and just  
as he came close she fainted from  
exhaustion.He caught her and scooped   
her up in his arms. Tenderly he carried  
her to his car, buckled her in the   
passenger seat, and sped away to his   
apartment. When he got there he told   
Andrew to call one of the girls to lie  
for Serena, he needed to talk to her.   
-------------------------------------  
Serena woke up in a dimly lit room,  
which she figured was Darien's apartment.  
She found she was in a long shirt and that  
her clothes were hanging on a nearby   
chair perfectly cleaned and dried.   
'Almost everything Darien does is   
perfect, with a big emphasis with the almost'   
Serena thought with a mental chuckle. She  
noticed Darien fast asleep in a nearby   
recliner. Serena silently crept out of bed  
and tiptoed over to the chair and grabbed  
her clothes. She then silently walked to  
the door and as she was about to reach the  
knob.  
"Where are you going?," Serena spun  
around in surprise.  
"I'm…I'm just going," replied Serena   
shakily.  
"Where? It's pouring out side," he   
replied calmly.  
"I know," she replied making direct  
eye contact. 'I have to be strong' she   
told her self.  
"What to you want from me?" he asked  
changing the subject completely and   
unexpectedly sounding strangely hopeful.  
"Many things you could never be,"  
she said and for once she saw hurt flash  
in his eyes, and it gave her sick pleasure.  
She turned around again ready to make   
a grand exit out of his apartment and out  
of his life. As she walked away she felt  
her self be bodily spun and crushed up   
against Darien's body. He brought his   
mouth down to hers and kissed her with so  
much passion it made her cry. But she   
knew this bliss couldn't continue, she   
knew he would hurt her again. She   
forcefully jerked herself away form him   
and slapped him hard. Crying she said:  
"That will never get you anywhere   
with me Darien not after all that has  
passed between us, after all you have  
done to me."  
And once again she turned around  
and practically ran out of his apartment.  
She heard him desperately calling her name  
and she wanted so badly to turn around   
and rush straight into his arms (if that  
was even possible considering the way he  
treated her in the past) but she knew   
she had to keep running.  
  
I can't take this anymore  
I decided to leave  
Walked out through the door  
Oh, and why do you think I go?  
Because you know it can never be so  
And you always prove me wrong  
'cause you're always putting me down   
-Put Me Down, The Cranberries-  
-------------------------------------  
Serena finally arrived home. As  
soon as she stepped through the door,  
her mother came and hugged her and   
started blabbering away:  
"Amy told me all about it honey,  
the youma attack, and how you were   
caught in it late at night, I'm so glad  
you are alright. Amy is so responsible,  
she called to tell me you were at her  
house, oh my poor little baby. Do you  
want me to get you something?"  
"No mom it's okay I just want to   
go to bed," Serena was a little surprised  
that Amy had it in her to lie to her   
mother like that, but she went with it.   
She would have never been able to explain  
spending the night in the park to her   
mother even. Serena even realized how   
stupid it was of her to it, but she was  
so depressed. Exhausted Serena dragged  
herself upstairs and cried herself to  
sleep.   
-------------------------------------  
  
  
Two weeks had passed, they were  
most likely the darkest in Serena's   
life. There hadn't been a youma attack   
in weeks. Maybe the negaverse was   
planning something big, but some how   
that didn't scare Serena as much as she  
thought it should have. She didn't see  
Darien much anymore. She would   
occasionally walk by him on the street,  
it felt like slow motion every time   
she walked by him. And she would analyze   
his face: did he look sad?, was he upset?,  
but as usual she could never decipher   
anything. Serena now fully realized that  
Darien wasn't perfect, completely the   
opposite actually. She didn't picture   
him like a god anymore, and for some   
reason that made her love him more.   
She wanted to be the one to heal his  
anger, pain, and whatever else needed  
to be mended. She wanted to be the   
one that he ran to when he couldn't  
figure anything out and nothing made  
sense.  
  
If you, if you could return  
Don't let it burn, don't let it fade  
I'm sure I'm not being rude  
But it's just your attitude  
It's tearing me apart  
It's ruining everything  
-Linger, The Cranberries-  
-------------------------------------  
  
  
Serena knew her friends were  
concerned about her, but she just   
didn't feel like telling the story   
a million times over and reliving   
the pain. She hadn't even told   
Molly about it, she would eventually.  
Although Molly was her best friend  
she knew she would just keep on   
asking her pointless questions that   
she just didn't feel like going over.  
Serena had to go to someone who   
would just be there for her. Her feet  
ended up at the temple steps. Raye  
was there, sweeping. She turned around   
to look at Serena, whose eyes were   
filled with tears. Raye dropped her   
broom and Serena ran up to her. They  
embraced for a long time with no   
words spoken, after a few moments   
they headed inside the temple.  
  
-------------------------------------  
  
Darien walked around aimlessly in   
his apartment. He felt completely lost,  
as Serena had so correctly said it.   
'How does she read me so well?"  
'Because you let her," his mind   
replied.  
'Well maybe I want to let her,"  
his heart fought back.  
'You know she doesn't really feel  
anything for you, that's it's just some  
fleeting emotion,' his mind once again   
reasoned  
"Arghhh…," Darien grasped his head   
in frustration. And his mind just   
laughed at him.  
------------------------------------------  
Serena's house the next day.  
'Okay you know what, this is completely   
ridiculous, things with me and Darien can't   
go on like this, I have every right to know  
what's going on,' and with that thought  
Serena grabbed her coat and walked out   
of her house to Darien's apartment with   
great determination shining in her face.   
By the time she reached his apartment she   
looked more like scared out of her mind  
then determined.  
Serena finally reached his front door.   
She had never been more nervous in her   
life. She tentatively knocked on his door.  
The door opened. There he stood, the  
epitome of dark beauty. He motioned with  
his hand for her to step into his apartment.  
As she did she felt the room charge  
with unspoken words and emotions.   
Finally, Serena turned around and faced  
Darien.  
"Look Darien, unlike you I just   
can't forget about what has happened.   
I would like to settle whatever it is  
that is between us," Serena said in   
an uncertain voice.  
"And," she continued, "I would  
like to part today on good terms, at  
the very least friends," she finished  
quietly.  
"You and I could never be   
friends," Darien said.  
Serena inhaled sharply and brought  
her hand up to her heart, she felt it  
burst, she felt like she couldn't breathe.  
She did what she had become so good at  
doing lately, she ran.  
  
Don't think me unkind  
Words are hard to find  
They're only cheques I've left unsigned  
From the banks of chaos in my mind  
And when their eloquence escapes me  
Their logic ties me up and rapes me  
-De do do do , de da da da, The Police-  
  
Darien picked up a vase of roses   
and threw it against a wall, and then  
he slumped down to his knees and cried,  
for his inadequacies, for his insecurities.  
It was true they never could be friends   
because when she was anywhere near him he  
felt like kissing her, holding her, talking  
to her, spinning her, he lost control. But  
he knew if he did this he could get hurt  
somehow.   
Why wouldn't he let himself surrender?  
Why did he continue to hurt her? Why  
couldn't he just go to her? He had never   
depended on anyone one in his life, would  
it be so scary to do so? What would he   
do if he did start to depend on her and   
she stopped loving him one day? Did she   
love him or was it just the heat of the moment  
type deal? Was the lonely shell he built  
to protect himself with worth not being  
with Serena? Was this pain worth not  
being with Serena? Darien felt like   
his brain was going to burst, he needed he  
needed something, fast.   
  
  
She was wrong, dead wrong, the   
past two weeks of her life weren't the   
darkest these were. Darien had started  
dating some chick that was his age. He  
brought her to the arcade every time  
he went there. Serena saw them walking  
the streets together and going to get   
ice cream often. The image of those two   
together was burned into her mind. Serena  
consoled her self by thinking that he was   
running scared from her. She just couldn't  
imagine that he shared any of his past with  
this woman, she seemed so dark. She wouldn't  
make him happy like she could. She was just  
like him, tall, dark, beautiful, and brooding.   
'Good luck with her Darien',   
thought Serena darkly. Still thoughts   
of her inadequacies compared to this  
woman surfaced in her mind much to   
often. She knew nothing about this woman,  
she could actually be the love of his  
life for all she knew. He could have   
shared his past with her, he could be  
having fun with her. Maybe she did  
light his day up. She was smart and   
she was irresistible. Continuing on  
this negative vein, Serena could not   
help but picture them kissing and embracing.  
She felt so nauseated by the whole thing  
that she just curled up in her bed and   
stared at the wall. No tears came, but   
how could they, she had cried so much   
already that nothing came out anymore,  
just a deep silent grief.  
  
  
"Man they are so wrong for each   
other," said Andrew to himself, leaning  
on the counter and watching Darien and  
that girl together.  
"I agree with you completely,"   
answered Raye, Andrew looked at her a   
little surprised he hadn't expected to  
see her at the arcade.  
"I'm glad you've noticed, I   
wonder when he will," Andrew said   
worriedly.  
"Oh Darien definitely knows that  
girl is all wrong for him," Raye said   
confidently.  
"Yeah maybe you're right," Andrew  
said thoughtfully.  
"It's all just a matter of when   
he is going to stop running scared from  
what him and Serena have," Raye said   
staring over at the couple.   
"It could be to late, he has messed  
up so much with Serena," Andrew replied   
with a shake of his head.  
"Could be," and Raye proceeded to   
sit down and order a drink.  
----------------------------------------  
One week later.  
"Andrew do you know where Darien   
is?" Serena asked him with a frenzy   
tingeing her voice.  
"I'm pretty sure he went to the  
park, you know by the bench under the  
willow tree," Andrew said a little  
confused.  
"Okay… Okay thank-you Andrew,"  
Serena said hurriedly and ran to the  
arcade doors.  
"Serena him and that girl broke  
up," Andrew called to her just before  
she left.  
Serena turned around and replied:  
"I know."  
----------------------------------------  
There he was, tall, beautiful, and  
lost, standing under the willow tree   
and looking out towards the lake. Serena  
didn't know why she was doing this  
again, why she was willing to put   
herself through possibly more pain.   
She knew that she was being silly,  
hoping that maybe he liked her.   
Though she couldn't help it, she  
had such strong feelings for him  
that they couldn't be ignored.   
She figured she would keep on hurting  
herself until it killed her. That's  
what love makes you do, she guessed.  
She walked up to him, and about   
five feet away he sensed her presence   
and looked up at her out of turbulent   
blue eyes. She stopped half a foot away  
from him. She could feel the tension  
surrounding them; she could practically  
grab a chunk of it. Serena reached up  
her hands to touch his face, but he   
grabbed her wrists.  
"Don't touch me," he said sounding  
furious.  
Tears welled up in Serena's eyes,  
but she stayed, his hands still   
grasping her wrists.  
"What are you so afraid of!" she   
yelled at him tears coming down her eyes.  
Darien just looked away.  
"Answer me!" Her voice rising in  
pitch.   
But she didn't let him answer.   
Instead she spoke again, asking:  
"What happened with that girl?"  
Serena changed the topic.  
Darien turned his head to look   
at her again and he dropped her wrists.  
"She broke up with me," Darien   
replied calmly.  
Serena turned her face away,  
saddened.  
'He didn't break up with her, maybe   
he still wants to be with her.'  
"Serena what are you doing   
here," Darien asked sounding annoyed  
and that was when Serena blew up.  
"What am I doing here, what am  
I doing here, you dare to ask me such  
a dumb question! Damnit Darien, I'm  
in love with you! I want to know if  
there is any chance we could be  
together! All I ever do is think  
about you, I haven't stopped since   
we first met. I was so scared, I   
couldn't understand why I was so   
drawn to you of all people. But   
I was and it got worse as the days  
went by. I tried to date other   
boys, I flirted with other boys   
in an attempt to get you off my   
mind, but it only made everything  
worse. Darien it's so bad that   
I can't even think of being with   
anyone else. The thought of   
dating another boy sickens me.   
I can't even look at them anymore  
without comparing you to them,   
with out thinking how much I would  
rather be with you. So does that  
answer you question? But I'm sure  
you already knew all this with   
the way I so stupidly throw my self  
at you!" She ended her little   
speech sobbing and yelling at him  
at the same time, she sank to her  
knees in front of him, in a limp  
heap, her slight form shaking with  
her tears.  
Darien stared down at her,   
his eyes rounded in horror, he had  
no idea that her feelings for him  
were that deep. He felt a little   
dizzy from shock. His legs no longer  
wanted to stand up and he too sank   
to his knees.  
"S...Serena do you really love  
me?" Darien asked shakily while   
gripping her forearms in order to  
make her look up at him.   
"Yes!" She spat out angrily,  
her blue eyes flashing at him. She  
tried to get out of his grasp, but  
his grip on her only tightened.  
"I'm so sorry Serena, I didn't  
know, I didn't know," his eyes looking  
down on her begging for forgiveness,  
and she looked away confused and upset.  
"Darien I don't understand, what   
are you saying," she asked turning her  
head to look at him.  
"I…I…What you just said to me is  
exactly how I feel about you, I pushed  
you away because I thought you had a   
silly crush on me. I couldn't bear it   
if we were together and you didn't feel   
as strongly about me as I felt about you.  
I thought I would overwhelm you and   
you would just get freaked out and leave  
me," Darien said love and sorrow shining  
in his eyes. A few sobs escaped Serena's  
mouth, she just couldn't believe it!  
"Oh Darien I want you to overwhelm  
me, because all the feelings I have for  
you are just as overwhelming and I  
wouldn't be satisfied with any less  
from you," she said her beautiful   
blue eyes swimming with tears. Silence  
fell on them for a moment from the  
magnitude of what they had just said,  
and then Darien spoke up again.  
"The reason that Alexis broke   
up with me, is because she would always  
catch me staring at you, or you butt,"  
Serena blushed and Darien couldn't help  
but steal a kiss from her lush lips,   
after a few moments of sweet distraction  
he continued, "What finally killed it  
was when she went to kiss me and I   
called her your name by mistake.   
Serena I was so stupid I know, but you  
have to understand this is all new   
for me, I'm an idiot when it comes to  
stuff like this," he said resting his  
forehead on hers.  
"Give me one more chance Serena,  
I promise I won't mess up this time,"  
he pleaded.  
Serena smiled a shy smile that   
Darien thought was the most beautiful  
thing he'd ever seen. 'Okay' she had  
said and he pulled her up tight and   
kissed her hungrily. After a while he  
started kissing the bottom of her neck  
and he slowly made his way up to her   
ear, he felt her shiver and he moaned  
into her neck reveling in it's softness.  
When he finally reached her ear he  
whispered:  
"I love you, Serena."  
-------------------------------------  
Andrew and Rita made their way to  
Darien's apartment. Rita had forgotten  
her earrings in Darien's bathroom a while  
ago, so they went today to go pick them   
up. Andrew gave Rita the key because he   
had to make a quick stop at the store   
right next to Darien's apartment. Rita  
got to his door and opened it, the TV   
was on and she could smell food cooking   
in his kitchen. Apparently he was still  
there, which was odd because he was   
usually busy running his errands about now.  
She walked into the kitchen and her  
heart almost stopped at the sight.   
Darien was sitting on his counter   
drinking coffee and reading the paper   
but the shocking part was that Serena  
was sitting cross-legged in between   
his legs reading a magazine like they  
had been best friends forever. Then  
Darien took a sip of his coffee put  
it down and gave Serena a kiss on   
the back of her head. Serena then   
turned around and gave him a kiss on  
the lips which soon turned into a   
little session, newspaper and magazine  
forgotten. Rita didn't know what   
to do she felt very strange just standing  
there, so she cleared her throat   
to alert them of her presence. Both of  
their heads whipped around to look at  
her. Serena blushed and Darien had a  
look of surprise on his face.  
"Whoa I didn't know you were   
there, was my door open or something?"   
Darien asked.  
"No, I figured I could pick up my  
earrings today, so Andrew gave me the  
key because he figured you weren't   
home," Rita said.  
"Oh yeah, okay, I found your   
earrings and I put them in an envelope  
by the phone, over there," Darien   
pointed with his head. Rita went to go  
get them but she stopped midway and  
asked:  
"One question, Serena and Darien,  
Did I miss something?" And they both  
laughed loudly. The few days after   
they had gotten together they had   
gotten a real kick out of shocking everyone.  
"Rita, I would say you missed  
a lot," replied Andrew coming from behind her.  
"Hey Andrew," Darien called over to  
him, "I'm sorry about the other day,"   
he said apologetically.  
"No problem bud, I'm just happy   
to see things are going your way for  
once," said Andrew smiling at how   
much Darien had changed for the better  
since Serena.  
"Oh things are definitely going  
my way," and Darien wrapped his arms  
around Serena and kissed her cheek   
tenderly. Rita smiled, before Serena  
Darien would have never displayed   
affection in front of people like he  
just did.  
  



End file.
